The book
by Deezaster82
Summary: For his sixteenth birthday, Prussia offers Germany a very special gift. A book for real men. Eventual PrussiaxGermany. Please R
1. Chapter 1

It was the 18 January1887.

It was Germany's sixteen birthday and Gilbert had thought of a very special gift for the young Empire.

Finding a present for his little brother didn't prove difficult at all. Young Ludwig was a quiet, and intelligent kid. At only sixteen he was already very cultured and spent most of his free time alone in the house's library.

Prussia knew that nothing better than a book could please his charge.

But, even though he knew Ludwig liked Historical or Philosophy books the best, Gilbert had decided that his Ludwig was almost a man and needed to be acquainted with a more...Adult kind of literature.

And how priceless was Germany's expression when he unwrapped the gift. Prussia, of course, had needed to laugh his lungs out before he could even try to explain his brother what the peculiar gift was about.

-" This is porn, West. This is a book for adult men, and I think you are now old enough to have one of your own!"

Ludwig looked at him quizzically. It was certainly the first time the young man ever learned of that word 'porn'. Gilbert had never judged necessary to explain that sort of things to his little brother before. Ludwig had had much to learn during his first years as part of a new Empire, that there had been no room for other, more human, lessons of life.

Tentatively, the blond turned the first page of the book. He promptly let out a high pinched gasp and almost dropped the leather-covered publication. It was hard to find a detailed illustration book at that time, but Gilbert had wanted the best for his brother. The book was...very realistic.

-" There are naked people in there!'" Ludwig declared in a low voice, cheeks tinted pink and eyes looking anywhere else than at Gilbert or at the book.

-" That's what porn is about, kid!" Gilbert grinned. That was awesome how innocent his young brother was! It was cute in a most sexy way.

Young Germany picked the book up and opened it again...Only to close it back almost immediately with a loud clap of paper.

-" ….The people inside the book...They are doing...Weird things"

Prussia couldn't help. He snickered loudly and ruffled the teen's hair.

-" That's called 'sex', West! That's how human reproduce, but it also feels awesome!"

-" I-I don't think I want to know" Germany looked at his shoes, face crimson up to his ears.

-" Of course you want to know, everybody does eventually. And real men certainly do! Keep that book in your bedroom, kid, it'll be useful when you're bored at night!"

-"...T-thank you for the present, bruder" Ludwig said, not forgetting his good manners.

He would go to his room then, and hide the evil book deep inside a drawer. Certainly he wouldn't want to ever look at those naughty images again.

Or so he thought.

A few months later, during a cold winter evening, Germany was looking for a particular science manuscript he wanted to read again but couldn't find. With an old oil lamp as sole source of light, he went through all his personal belongings, knowing the publication couldn't be anywhere else than in his room. He searched his shelfs thoroughly, going as far as looking inside his other manuscripts to see if the one he was looking for wasn't lost in between, and eventually opened his bed table drawer.

His eyes widened when they fell on his brother's "gift" which he had gladly forgotten.

He didn't know what had compelled him to do so, then, but his hand reached for the shame-inducing illustrated book.

Ludwig, then, placed the lamp on his bedside table and sat on his bed, the book in hand.

Gilbert had said that it was a book for grown men and, like any other boy of his age, the blond German longed to become a true, manly, man.

Maybe his eldest brother would be right, maybe this book would make a man out of him, and it would be stupid of him to refuse to give it a try.

Under the pale light of his oil lamp, he started flipping through the pages, his face getting more red with a deep feeling of shame as his widened eyes travelled across hot erotic scenes.

Soon, he felt himself react to the realistic pictures. Heat pooled in his midsection and a certain part of his lower body started to swell and extend. That particular reaction didn't startle him since it happened on a regular basis, mostly in the morning after he wake up. He had never paid much attention to the phenomenon before, because it never lasted long and always got back to normal after a short time.

This time, though, it was entirely different. The change on his body was accompanied by an almost uncomfortable warmth and a weird sensation of tickling, the most annoying thing was that he didn't know what to do about it.

He did nothing, and the strange reactions didn't subside. He knew that he needed something but didn't know what and it was really frustrating. It made him uncomfortable and he wondered if that was what it took to become a man. He thought back of the time he was having growth pain and remembered how his body ached all over. Maybe the unpleasant sensations he was going through were only the necessary inconveniences preceding his transformation into a full grown man?

No longer worried but nonetheless relieved of his physical uneasiness, Germany placed the book back in the drawer, well hidden under the science manuscript he didn't even notice, and laid down to sleep.

That night was a long one for the young, confused, Empire.

The next morning, the sensations were gone, but he was still bothered by the last night's events. He watched his reflection closely in the bathroom mirror but found absolutely no change in his features, he checked his height and it was still the same than one month before.

Ludwig sighed, a tad disappointed, but told himself that maybe the results wouldn't be visible just yet, maybe he had to wait a little longer, maybe he had to read the book more in order to become a man.

Confident in what Gilbert had told him about the strange book, Ludwig resigned himself to patience.

Months later, Germany was yet to go through any physical change. Yet, something was definitely different, and he realized this mostly during the sword wielding and fight training Prussia dispensed him.

The way he looked at his brother was no longer the same.

Ludwig often caught himself staring too long at Gilbert. At his muscular body whenever the Prussia fought bare-chested, at his firm behind when he wore tights, and at any other part of his big brother's body he seemed to find interesting.

The young blonde didn't understand why his brother had become suddenly so...intriguing to him, or why, sometimes when he was reading 'the book', Gilbert's face appeared in stead of these men's on the pictures.

Maybe he was simply envious of his brother's manliness? What else could it be? After all, he had been reading the book, the one which was supposed to turn him into a real man, to no avail. He was envious, nothing more, and Gilbert had always been his model as a man.

Twice already, he had found himself standing in front of his big brother's door, ready to knock but not daring to. He wanted help on that matter that had become too confusing for him. He needed answers about the effects the book had on him, he needed Gilbert to explain him the way of becoming a real man.

And he still hadn't found a clue on what to do about the reactions the book was giving him.

A certain night, he had been reading the book again, and couldn't find sleep because of those weird effects the book had on him, he decided to take a walk down the kitchen, Certainly a glass of fresh water would help, even if only a little.

But as he passed his brother's bedroom, he glimpsed a pale light coming through the crack under the heavy wooden door, and stopped in his track.

TBC


	2. chapter 2

Hello! Thank you a lot for your reviews and please forgive me to not have updated this fanfic sooner.

Because I love Gilbert and Ludwig as much as brothers than as lovers, I decided to write two versions of the second chapter.

This chapter will be the brotherly fluff version and the next one will be a tad less cute but a lot more...well, you'll see.

On with the story now.

Ludwig chewed on his lower lips, his hand stopping once again mere centimeters from the wooden surface of his elder brother's bedroom door.

He desperately wanted answers, but he couldn't formulate the questions in his mind, so how could he not look like a fool in front of his brother?

He fidgeted, his traitorous feet ready to scoot away from a more than possible humiliation. But Gilbert had always told him that he had to be brave and this, Ludwig told himself, would be a case of blatant cowardice .

He was no coward, because he was born to be a warrior, a strong and brave leader and, whatever the situation or the problem, a warrior such as the one he wanted to become, never backed off, never runs away.

He pursed his lips, frowned to give himself a serious expression, fisted his hand and knocked at the door.

When a raspy voice answered for the visitor to come in, Ludwig's courage faltered considerably and he didn't know how he found the guts to open that door, somehow, he did.

Prussia had been reading something at his desk, a big chart of Europe displayed on the whole surface of the large bed, several others half opened on the floor. He lift his head from whatever document he had been reading and his mouth curved into a grin when he saw his little brother's at the door, looking all flustered and un-at-ease.

-" Was ist los, West?" he asked. He didn't need an explanation to understand that his little bro was bothered by something and needed his awesome big bro's advices.

-" Am I not disturbing you ?" Germany asked with a light tremble in his still young voice.

Prussia shock his head and beckoned him to move further in. " Close the door, this room is cold enough like this"

He had work, yes, but nothing that couldn't be postponed. Also, he didn't have the heart to send his brother away, not when he looked so adorably confused.

Ludwig nodded and quietly closed the door, as if he wanted to be as silent as possible. Seeing him like this, so embarrassed, Prussia was reminded of the reason why he had accepted the boy under his care: Ludwig was far too cute to be denied the awesomeness that was Gilbert as a big brother. Even if the boy wasn't a child anymore, even if he was now almost as big as him and still growing, he still looked so adorable and innocent and Prussia sometimes wished he could still hug him like he used to do when Ludwig was younger.

-" Did you have something to ask me?" The boy was obviously still too embarrassed to talk and needed encouragement.

-" I have some questions...But I don't know how to ask them"

-" What's whit the shy attitude, West? Just spill your guts already" Gilbert took delight in the sudden blush that flourished upon the young man's cheeks.

He stood up from his seat and pulled the big chart off the bed to sit on it, then he gestured at Ludwig to sit next to him.

-" I wanted to know...how one can become a man. I've been reading the book, but I can see no change, maybe I didn't do something right...but there was no instruction in that manual..." Ludwig tried to explain. He sat a bit away from his brother on the large bed and fisted his hands on his bed robe to prevent himself to play with his hands and show his so obvious nervousness.

Prussia frowned a little, not understanding all of what his brother had said.

" What book?"

Germany swallowed his saliva and tried to will his blush away, failing wonderfully, which made Prussia smile even more.

-" The book you bought for me, for my birthday...You said it would make me become a man, but it didn't work."

Prussia bit his tongue, hard, and forced himself to think about crushed birdies or victorious Austrians, but it wasn't enough and he couldn't help it, he doubled over with a loud, crackled laughter.

Ludwig whimpered lightly and buried his head in his hands, his face consumed by shame.

The sight broke the Prussian's heart a little and he pulled his little brother closer to ruff his hair.

-" I never said that that book would make you become a man, West! ( aww you are so cute!) it's just a book for men, for late night entertainment. You'll never find a book that would make you become a man, dear brother, or then it would have been sold by a quack and anyway it would never work!"

Ludwig wanted to disappear there and then. He felt so stupid that he allowed Gilbert to hug him without even complaining that he was too old for such display of affection.

-" No, to become a man is not something you can learn in books. It's something you achieve through time, experience and sometimes- often- through pain and sorrow, but also through victory and happiness. You will be a man through the eyes of others, if you behave like a man, if you sound reasonable and if you seems serious enough to be considered a man.

But to be a man, for yourself, you must only remember to never betray yourself, and to do the things you know will make you proud. If you stop fearing others' opinions about you, if you impose yourself with dignity and pride, then you'll know you are a man."

Prussia explained calmly, without the usual arrogance he always displayed, and allowed himself to stroke his little brother's hair a moment longer before letting go of him.

-" Is there any other questions you'd like to ask the awesome me?"

Germany had been looking at his big brother- who had always been his model as a man- with a mixed expression of awe, admiration and serious attention. But when Gilbert asked him this, his face fell a little. He indeed had another question, but he didn't know if he should ask it or not. Certainly, this would be another humiliation.

Prussia saw the shadow of hesitation pass across his West's gaze and he knew, once again, that he needed to encourage his younger charge.

-" I am your big brother, you can tell me anything, it will never leave the walls of this room, I promise!"

He smiled, feeling decidedly awesome.

Ludwig gulped and didn't even try to will his blush away, it was a lost fight.

-" I think I might be a little sick since I've read the book..The one you gave me"

Prussia frowned. " Have you been ill?"

Germany shock his head. " Not really...I've been feeling uncomfortable, mostly right after reading the book. My body...I've had very weird sensations and I don't know what to do about them when they occur...I was thinking you knew...how to cure it"

Gilbert blinked, his mouth rounded in a 'o' of surprise and that made him look- to his opinion- not really awesome. ( Ludwig thought he looked funny)

-" You mean...That you don't know what to do about the effects my porn book has on you?"

Ludwig nodded, his cheeks now painted crimson.

Gilbert would have laughed at his little brother's unbelievable ignorance and much too cute innocence, if he wasn't that embarrassed to have to explain such things...Even if West was a sixteen years old boy.

-" It is called 'arousal', West, and it's something perfectly natural. You feel aroused when you see a pretty girl, even more so when she's naked! And, when you read porn, it happen too and then you have to relieve yourself, that's something every body do!"

He praised himself for such a good and concise explanation, but Germany still wasn't satisfied.

-" how does one relieve himself?"

Now that was a bit too much asking. Gilbert knew that he wasn't the one to explain such things to his little brother. After all, no one had ever explained him how to indulge in 'solitary pleasure' and, because he couldn't be that innocent, West didn't need to be told about these kind of things.

-" This, West, is not something that can be explained. You'll have to figure out by yourself. Maybe soon you'll find a girl willing to help you out..." He let it at that and grinned suggestively down at Ludwig.

The boy was a tad disappointed but he didn't push the topic further, understanding that it was probably improper for men to discuss such personal matters. He nodded;

-" Thank you for your time, brother, this discussion was much enlightening."

He said reverently, nodding again in gratitude. He stood up to leave but was stopped by his elder's brother hand on his arms.

-" Hey, don't talk to me as if I was one of our politician, West!" Prussia reprimanded him sternly.

-" I...I apology" Ludwig lowered his head but Gilbert tilted it back up and smiled a genuine smile.

-" You sound like a man already, West. " He said, looking at him with such a fond expression that Ludwig needed to print it in his memory, it was precious and so rare.

-" But I think that, if you want to become a real man, you'll have to be a bit less serious and a bit more adventurous. You do not necessarily become a man through strictly respectable behaviour you know, you also must do and try a lot of different, not so respectable things. That's how one learns about life!"

Ludwig nodded again and, obeying a spontaneous desire, hugged his older brother who welcomed the gesture and gladly hugged back.

-" Thank you, brother!"

-" You're welcome, West" and, because he wanted to see pink back on his brother's cheeks, he gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.

Ludwig blinked at that-and of course he blushed- then tentatively brushed his lips to his brother's again before kissing him more firmly. They parted soon and Ludwig tilted his head, silently questioning Gilbert about what had just happened

-" That was to make sure your first kiss would be awesome!" Prussia snickered and hushed him out gently. " Now shoo! Go to sleep, I still have a lot of work to finish."

That said, he sat back at his desk and turned his back to Ludwig, still smirking.

Germany allowed a small smile to draw itself on his mouth and went back to his room. He slept soundly that night, his mind serene.

He would start a slightly harder training at the first hour of the next morning.

He would look attentively in his big brother's eyes from that day on, he would look in his eyes everyday, waiting, working, fighting, until the day he would see what he was looking for in those blood red eyes.

An unmistakable glint of pride that would mean he was now a man in his big brother's eyes.


End file.
